1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mode dial mechanism and an electronic device having the same and, specifically, to an operation mode dial mechanism applied to and required by an electronic device with a plurality of functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic device having a mode dial mechanism (e.g. a digital camera) has been available in the prior arts. A user can select the required function (e.g. a photo mode, a video mode, and a play mode) by rotating a rotary member.
In the prior arts, most mode dial mechanisms of electronic devices use a spring plate on the rotary member for contacting a plurality of electrical contact switches respectively in corresponding positions on a circuit board (e.g. ROC Patent No. 584,357). Each electrical contact switch has a corresponding function. Multiple modes of operation can be activated by contact between the spring plate and one of the electrical contact switches. Therefore, the number of the multiple operation modes has to equal the number of electrical contact switches. For example, when there are eight operation modes, the circuit board under the rotary member needs to have eight electrical contact switches.
However, when there are more required operation modes using a mode dial mechanism (such as 16 operation modes), more electrical contact switches need to be disposed within the same area under the rotary member. This results in a need for smaller electrical contact switches, which increases the manufacturing costs of the components greatly and also increases the degree of difficulty in assembly.
In addition, there are gaps between the electrical contact switches. When the user incautiously turns the spring plate of the rotary member to the gap between adjacent electrical contact switches, the spring plate does not contact any electrical contact switch. The electronic device, as a result, cannot determine the operation mode selected by the user, so the electronic device can not work properly.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a mode dial mechanism and an electronic device having the same to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.